Funny thing, my 87 had no greasable OEM parts on the front end.. I had to eventually replace everything on the front end before 75k miles because of the "lubed for life" junk that was originally installed on my truck from the factory. That was 20-25 years ago. Everything gets a shot of grease once a year and everything is still good and tight.
Who else rolls around on the ground greasing ball joints and such?
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Not ball joints, but I was under the ol' Toyota SUV a few days ago and greased the zerk fittings for the U-joints of the front and rear propeller shafts (AWD).
Everyone’s experience is local I guess. The only suspension components I’ve had fail early have been Moog greaseable ones. The 555 sealed ones I’ve typically used last a very long time.
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I'm starting to see why they're sealed. All it takes is one over zealous kid with an air powered grease gun to blow the boots. I suspect that's what happened to one of them and didn't say anything. I haven't touched these since they were installed about a year ago
When I replaced the swap bar links on my 2014 Town and Country, they came with zerks. I add a pump every time I rotate the tires. I had to add some early a couple weeks ago as they started banging around.
I recently bought a Jeep JLU and need to climb around it to see what needs to be greased.
I recently bought a Jeep JLU and need to climb around it to see what needs to be greased.
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I need to swap put the fittings on my endlinks. It's a different type than everything else and the grease gun won't seal. Even tightning the fitting on the gun.
I did at one time. It was a real motivator to one day have a garage with a lift, my tools, and enough room to work in climate-controlled comfort.
My 2008 3/4 ton Suburban has two more. There are fittings on the inner tie rod ends on mine. Total is 11 ( one more than 10).
Many years ago the kindly maintenance man at my summer job apparently noted the massive gap between my interest in cars and my actual mechanical knowledge, and taught me some of the basics - how to change oil and filter, how to lube front-end parts, how to check and change the air filter, etc.
We had three Ford Couriers (rebadged Mazda B1600s) as leases. We removed the bolts in the bottom of the various front-end components, installed zerks, and greased the ball joints and tie-rod ends.
*******
Fast forward a few decades - I'm doing some work on friends' daughter's Toyota Sienna, and noticed the other day that the ball joint on the R side only has a zerk. Aftermarket for sure. (294K km on the van, so no surprise there's been some front-end work.)
I'm planning to buy outer tie-rod ends later on today, and will make sure they are sealed.
We had three Ford Couriers (rebadged Mazda B1600s) as leases. We removed the bolts in the bottom of the various front-end components, installed zerks, and greased the ball joints and tie-rod ends.
*******
Fast forward a few decades - I'm doing some work on friends' daughter's Toyota Sienna, and noticed the other day that the ball joint on the R side only has a zerk. Aftermarket for sure. (294K km on the van, so no surprise there's been some front-end work.)
I'm planning to buy outer tie-rod ends later on today, and will make sure they are sealed.
Yes my tie rod ends and my lower control arms. I opted for metal/sintered ball joints with zerks instead of nylon type because of rust belt conditions.
Have no lift, so yes, I roll around greasing ball joints. Replaced all of them with MOOG Problem solvers. And the stabilizer links are MOOG also, with grease fittings. Part of my routine when I do oil changes. I did learn this, I cap the grease fittings with a plastic or rubber cap. That keeps them clean so they don't leak back out on you. Hate when that happens.
I haven't used the grease gun in ages, not since ... Monday. 
I was working on friends' 2012 Toyota Sienna and found a grease fitting on an aftermarket ball joint. (I assume aftermarket as the ball joint on the other side is sealed.)
I'll be using the grease gun again in a few weeks - both the outer tie-rod ends on our Dodge Grand Caravan are aftermarket and both have grease fittings. I lube them spring and fall when I'm doing the seasonal tire changeovers.
I was working on friends' 2012 Toyota Sienna and found a grease fitting on an aftermarket ball joint. (I assume aftermarket as the ball joint on the other side is sealed.)
I'll be using the grease gun again in a few weeks - both the outer tie-rod ends on our Dodge Grand Caravan are aftermarket and both have grease fittings. I lube them spring and fall when I'm doing the seasonal tire changeovers.
Yes, to do a good job one has to understand the details on what’s in the fleet. A 2010 Silverado has no zerks. Due to aftermarket components, my son’s Silverado has six.
Correct, it is VERY local.
A guy with a sealed bearing in the south or south west will be rolling on it his entire life or the life of the car.
Guys in the North east? HI IM A POTHOLE! HI IM ANOTHER POTHOLE! HI IM A SURPISE POTHOLE, POTHOLE POTHOLE POTHOLE.
The worst thing is a pothole’s pothole.
Welcome to Buffalo
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